Foot sling



July 7, 1953 e. w. JARDINE FOOT SLING Filed March 2, 1951 Patented July 7, 1953 i UNITED STATE FOOT SLING I George W. Jardine, Waltham, Mass. Application March 2, 1951, Serial No. 213,570

' s'olaims. (Cl. 128-84) 7 This invention relates to an improved siurgi cal appliance for use asa foot sling by hospital and other bed patients where it is essential to support an injured leg or foot in a raised and suspended position.

' In this connection it isfound that special problems are encountered in providing a device which will furnish the right amount of supporting acapplied in a novel manner so as to comprise a highly useful suspension appliance which I have ,chosentorefer to as a footsling. In the foot sling structure shown in the drawings numeral It refers to a base member formed of a thin sheet tion with a minimum of discomfort. 'A specific instance of this arises, for example,in maintain= ing a broken lower limb in traction. Where a leg is thus suspended there is a definitetendency for the ankle musclesyt'o relax and allow the foot tov incline forwardly into an undesirable position. 1

' This condition is one known as foot drop and requires positive corrective action. Appliances heretofore utilized have proved to be generally. unsatisfactory, either because they exert an undue amount of pressureat one point or another along the upper side of the foot, or they do not provide an accurate supporting action, so that the forepart of the foot is held at the correct angle to avoid foot drop.

The present invention is concerned with the problem indicated and aims to provide :an emproper corrective action for the foot where the limb is in traction and which will, moreover, per

form this function in such a way that a minimum of discomfort is realized. It is also an object of the invention to provide a combination splint and bandaging appliance which is highly useful in supporting a foot with fractured or broken bones, or in connection with amputationlcases.

Still a further object is to devise a device of the characterindicated which is cheap to manuf-ac ture .and which utilizes relatively inexpensive inner layerit) and an outer layer l2, each of which are cut out in the form shown in Fig;' 2. As illustrated therein, the base has a relatively wide forward, upper section terminating in a' I 'cient, positive foot sling which will afford a materials in its construction so that the foot sling may be usedby a patient and thrown away,

as is customary with various other banda'ging equipment.

These and other objectsand novel features will be more fully understood and appreciated from, the following descriptionof a preferred embodiment of the inventionselected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which v I l I Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the foot-sling of the invention showingia portion ofa foot'sus pended in the sling and indicating fastening straps in a partially assembled position;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the sling with the foot removed; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In accordance withthe invention I combine a bandage and splint assembly with holding straps material, such as paper, plastic, metal, or the like, which combines flexibility with'a sufiicient amount of rigidity to provide an appreciable sup= porting effect such as might be desired in certain. types of fsplints. The degree of rigidity in the base member may vary to fit the specific use for whichyit is designed. ,Asuspension element'll consisting of a loop or similar device is secured] at the extreme forwardend of the base to provide a means of attaching .the base'to a raised support, such as a wall hook or frame portion of a bed, in which a patient may be ;lying.

: Preferably the base member may comprise an square end. llidand'tapered downwardly or rearwarclly to form a relatively narrow heel supporting section Hlbr Attached tothe layers l0 and i2 is a protective covering M of 'a fabric such as light canvas, or other suitable sheet material. Lower edges of the covering member l4 may, for example, be secured between the layers l0 and I2 by wire staples E6, or other desirable fastening 1 means, such as stitching, or the like.

In accordance with the invention the protective wrapping is preferably arranged so as to provide a forwardly inclined heel pocket section, generally indicated by numeral; 18, (Fig. 1) wherein it will be seen that the rearmost portion of the heel pocket extends forwardly at an angle to the plane of the base member so thatthe heelpocket fits snugly around the heel of a foot received therein,

and the upper forepfi t of the foot is cradled in a position which tendsto prevent its falling for- I wardly. This relative arrangementof the protective wrappingon the base may be achieved in one suitable manner by drawing the covering member about the edges of the tapering base in the position suggested .in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

7 As shown therein the edges Ma and lb overlap the base and occur slightly spaced apart and in parallel relation to one another. In this position central portions of the covering are drawn sharply forward to form the heel pocket, as noted, and the excess'material at the rearmostpoint on the base is folded under, as at I40.

Numerals I1 and I9 indicate pairs of strap fastenings which include a fabric body portion secured to the bottom of the base element l2, as shown, and carrying buckles with pointed tongues. It will be noted that the strap fastenings are attached to the base in spaced relation to one another at the central forward part of the base 12, and the front pair of strap iastenings are arranged to extend rearwardly at diverging angles, as shown. This allows. the straps to fit smoothly over the top of an injured foot without excessive pressure being exerted at any one point thereon.

It will be apparent that when a in the heel pocket and then raised in suspension, considerable supporting action takes.- placeat; the Achilles tendon region and there. is a, definite tendency for the covering to pull'upwardly-onthe base l so that it assumes a position such as that suggested diagrammatically in Fig. 1. *Straps 20, 22, 24 and 26 are combined with. the protective covering and base to supplement theahove, described supporting action when enga ed over a. foot contained in the. appliance. The-straps are adapted to extend above, one another diagonally across the foot and may be. firmly secured by stitching, stapling, or similar fastening means,

tive covering L4 and the base and the suspension loop ii' in holding the base in, av raised position such as that shown in Fig. 1. In practice it is found that. by arranging the straps in a proper manner acrossthe, top of the foot F and by adjusti'ng the straps so that they exert the correct amountoitension, there may be realized a sunficiflent supporting action to overcome foot drop when a leg in traction.

' At the'ysame time little, if'any, discomfort is realized by the atient since the supporting action takes'pl'ace'overthe whole area of the foot rather than at any one localized area thereon. Moreover, by attaching the suspension loop to the front edge'of 'the base at the point shown, alloi the above advantages-are realized, whileat the same time allowing the patient. to exercise theinjured limb by flexing this member and bending either the knee or the ankle. As such exercises are often important in the treatment of injured foot is placed limbs, this flexibility feature is highly desirable" in conjunction'with a maintenance ofthe-foot in a permanently raised position.

Inaddition to the features noted itwill be seen also that theprotective covering may; when so desired, be used-as a'bandage to tightly hold the bones of thef'oot against the base, which thenbecomes averypractical splint. Where this type of use is desired itis pointedout that this construction of the base with a square cut-open end, allows the toes to have room for movement and the open end-also furnishes a desirable ventilating eiiect. I have also provided ventilating holes: to throughthe base which further function to increase comfort of a heavily wrapped and bandaged foot.v

Various other advantages. are..present..in connection with the improved appliance of the invention. For example, when a dressing has to be changed the sling allows easy removal of bandaging and other covering material and therefore aids in the care of the injured member. If desired, protective pads may be inserted between the foot and the base, or between the foot and the inner surface of the protective wrapper to develop greater or lesser protective action at localized points on the surface of an injured foot. The entire device can be made up of light, relatively cheap materials and can be used and thrown away in th same fashion as is the case with. conventional bandaging materials.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of the. invention, it should be understood that changes. and, modifications may be resorted to in keeping with the spirit of the invention as defined bythe appended claims.

I claim:

1. An. improvedioot sling comprising a base member for receiving. the sole of a. foot there.- against,. a protective, covering including a. heel pocket secur d to the base and adapted to receive the heel of said foot in a suspended position, a. suspension elementrfastened at the; forward. end of. the base for attaching the base, to a raised. supporting member, intermediate portions of the protective heel pocket. covering being attached to the, base in a manner so as to extend at an angle less than with respect to the plane oi'thebase,

and cooperating strap membersfor'maintaining the heel pocket andbase in a substantially fixed position when the'said foot is received'therein.

2. A structure. as defined in claim 1, in which the strap members are secured at twoopposite free edges of the protective covering, and means. located at the under side of the base for fastening the straps at two separated points thereon to maintain the base in a desired position of adjustment.

3. A structure as defined in claim 1, in which the strap means includes two pairs of straps located centrally of the base, one ahead of the other.

4. A structureas defined in claim 1, in which the base includes a plurality of layers of materialsecured one to the other with the protective covering margin attached therebetween.

5. A, structure as, defined in claim 1, in which theintermediate portions of the protective cover ing' have folded-=over' marginal edges and are fastened to the base member toproduce the said' angular arrangement of the heel pocket with'respect to the base.

GEORGE W. JARDINE.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES" PATENTS .Name Date. Ferragamo Dec. 6, ,1921.

OTHER REFERENCES Number 

